


Among the Sunflowers

by dotCassieopeia



Category: The Evil Within (Video Game)
Genre: AU Verse, Abuse, Alternate Universe, Blood and Gore, Blood and Torture, Body Horror, F/M, Gen, Gore, Implied Incest, Multi, Slurs, Torture, Violence, just amping up the warnings for blood gore and torture, there's going to be enough of it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-26
Updated: 2015-08-18
Packaged: 2018-04-06 04:59:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4208847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dotCassieopeia/pseuds/dotCassieopeia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ruben has Laura - she is his world. She is the only person who understands him, and turns a blind eye to his experiments. Things are working smoothly for him, until an endangered Leslie stumbles upon them. Laura, being the kind soul that she is, takes the risk of taking care of Leslie behind their parent's backs. But what happens when Leslie gets too close to Laura? Simple: Ruben snaps.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

     Today was perfect, at least looking from the outside in. The sky was that perfect shade of pale blue; the clouds were drifting lazily across its sea; the sun was out but the slight breeze kept it from being too hot. Even the sunflower field seemed to be brighter than usual, but that might have just been Ruben imagining it. No matter how beautiful the day was, nothing compared to the radiance of his dear Laura.

     Laura, his darling sister. The only woman, no, the only person in the world he cared for. Her very presence lit up his life, bringing him a sense of joy nobody else could provide. Ruben didn't have friends - he didn't need them. People didn't understand him, didn't get why he did the things he did. Laura was different, though; she accepted him for what he was. Who needed friends, anyway? They were only excess baggage, getting in the way of his work; his experiments, his discoveries, his interests. They would just get in the way, and there was always the risk they would tell their father about what he was doing in the basement.

     Since it was such a nice day out, Laura managed to convince Ruben to take some time off from his 'work' and go play in the sunflower fields. They were all in bloom, their large yellow and brown heads stretching up in a vain attempt to join the sun already hovering in the high sky. Laura was always fascinated by how their thick green stalks managed to support the weight of the flower. There were the unfortunate few who lost their strength and toppled, shattering the ground with their seeds for birds to feast on, and for new sunflowers to grow in their place.

     They walked, far from their home, far from the barn, far from anything around them. Their property was large enough they could get lost in the fields if they weren't careful, but it wouldn't matter. Ruben would give up so much just to be with her - no sacrifice was too great, but she rooted him like the sunflowers that surrounded them. While she turned a blind eye to what he did with his experiments, she couldn't lose him to something as crude as murder. (At least, as far as she was aware. A pang of guilt rang through him at the thought of hiding things from her, but it had to be that way.)

     Ruben's mind was elsewhere - his thoughts dissipated as he gazed upon her stunning features. The light caught her dark hair, creating a deep-blue halo around her crown. How he loved to run his fingers through her long locks, letting the silken strands drift from them, falling gracefully around her head. Every night they would sit on her bed, and he would spend hours brushing it. Their mother constantly tried to get her to trim her hair - not to cut it, but to fix the split ends and neaten it, but she refused. She refused putting it up, she refused braiding it, she refused doing anything to it, because Ruben liked it the way it was.

     He stopped, and looked around. The world seemed to speed up into the present moment, and Laura was gone. A bubble of panic welled up in his chest, but it wavered when he heard the rustling of sunflowers. He turned his head, hands balling up at his sides. She loved playing games, loving hiding and loved scaring him. Was it a form of punishment for all his misdeeds, or did she simply get a thrill from scaring him?

     'Laura!' Ruben called, his voice drowned by the height of the plants. 'Laura, come out!'

     No response.

     'This isn't funny!' he turned on the spot, panic was starting to creep back into him. 'Laura!'

     He spun on his heel just in time to have her jump out and toss her arms around his neck. They toppled, landing in between the tall flowers, the heads creating a spotted shadow around them.

     This was bliss. This was happiness. Ruben shut his eyes, enjoying the comfort of her body pressed against his, of the warmth of her breath spreading across his neck and cheek. If the world ended, right then and there, Ruben would die happy. She shifted, lifting her head and curtaining their faces with her hair. Ruben's eyes flickered open, meeting her own. Despite sharing their mother's features; Laura's beauty dominated them and made them her own.

     'You panic so easily,' Laura cooed.

     Ruben tried to hold back the faint blush from spreading on his cheeks, but to no avail.

     'I won't leave you that easily, so you need not worry.'

     'Promise?'

     She nodded, pressing their foreheads together, her dark lashes fluttering on her cheeks as a gentle smile caressed her lips, 'Promise.'  
Ruben smiled back, tilting his head up just so the tips of their noses brushed together. Gentle as a butterfly, a side only she would ever be allowed to see. Her hand caressed the side of his cheek, leaving a trail of warm tingling. He wanted to reach out, to touch her back, to hold her, but his arms felt like lead. Laying like this was fine, though, because she was his, while he was hers.

     They laid there, the gentle breeze wafting through the sunflowers. Ruben reached a hand up and curled some of her dark stands behind her ear, earning a smile in return. His finger trailed from the back of her ear, down to her neck and across her collarbone. The feel of her skin under his fingertips sent shivers down his spine. She shifted her weight, getting comfortable against his body. She fit so well against him, and their heartbeats and breathing synced in perfectly.

     The lazy atmosphere of the day overtook them. Laura rested her head against his chest, while his hand rested on the middle of her back. Time seemed to slow down, and sleep came easily. It was only until something moved nearby that stirred their senses and pulled them from sleep. Ruben wanted to bite back a retort about his perfect peacefulness being disturbed, but kept his mouth shut.

     Maybe it was one of the villagers, who had habits of straying onto their property to cause problems, or maybe it was an animal. As the sound grew louder, grew closer, the two tensed up and looked for the source. Then a different sound - a whimper. Almost like a wounded animal, but none they could recognize.

     'Wait--' Ruben went to grab Laura's wrist, to hold her back for just a bit longer, but she was already towering over him. He quickly pushed himself up after her, just as something breached the sunflowers.

     Laura took a quick step forward and pushed the plants apart, and out stumbled an unfamiliar face. He was pale and his hair was straw-like and brittle. Wide, terrified blue eyes flicked between the two, while trembling hands wrung together. He was deathly thin, emaciated and frail, with only a set of beige rags hanging off his thin frame.

     'Who are you?' Laura's voice stole Ruben's attention. He watched without moving as she stepped closer to the terrified boy, who had sunk low on the ground. She crouched down to eye level, but kept her hands in her lap. 'What's your name? Oh!'

     Ruben took a step forward, glaring at the new comer. If he hurt her...

     'You're hurt!' She reached out, but he flinched violently.

     '... hurt... hurt... hurt...' Leslie's feeble voice mimicked her words.

     'What's wrong with him? Weirdo.' Ruben mumbled, stepping up next to her.

     'Ruben, don't be rude,' Laura said calmly as she extended her hand out to brush a finger against the large bruise under the boy's eye. 'My name is Laura, and this is my brother, Ruben. What's your name?'

     'Le... Leslie...' his voice was as frail as the rest of him.

     'Leslie, where are you from?'

     Leslie just shook his head, his hands clamping down over his ears.

     'Why don't you come with us?'

     'No!' Ruben snapped, startling the both of them. 'He can't come home with us.'

     Laura stood up and faced her younger brother, 'He needs our help!'

     'Who cares? Just leave him here. One of the farmers will find him.'

     'No, Ruben,' Laura's voice was icy; Ruben wasn't used to that tone being directed at him. She turned back to Leslie and held a hand out for him, 'Come with us, Leslie. We'll get you cleaned up and taken care of.' 

     Leslie tentatively took her hand and stood up. A spark seemed to set off in his mind, and he gripped her hand tighter. It was something Ruben was all too familiar with whenever he touched her.

     'That's good. Come on, we don't live far from here,' Laura began to lead Leslie, taking slow steps with his shuffling gait. In his disgust, Ruben noticed he wasn't even wearing shoes. How primitive. Glaring venom at Leslie's retreating form, he stalked off after them, hands balled at his sides once again.


	2. Chapter 2

     'Okay, Leslie, you have to be very quiet,' Laura whispered as she led the boys through the back door. She kept a watchful eye out for any sign of their parents, but once they were inside and on the stairs that lead to the basement, she eased up.

     'What if you get caught? Father will be mad,' Ruben sighed, following them down the creaky stairs.

     Laura looked back at him, guiding Leslie towards a couch, 'I won't get caught if you don't say anything.'

     Ruben stiffened. She knew he wouldn't betray her and tell their parents, no matter how much he hated the kid. Without saying anything, he marched over to his desk and sat down, back turned to the two.

     Laura watched him, saddened he wasn't interested in helping, before turning her attention to Leslie. 'Alright, Leslie,' she smiled and crouched down in front of him again.'I'm going to get you cleaned up. Ruben, do you know if our parents are home?'

     '... home... home... home...' Leslie whispered.

     'No,' Ruben snapped, rolling his eyes at Leslie's childish behaviour. He hunched over, pouring over his work, trying to drown out his annoying voice.

     'Can you go check? And maybe find a change of clothes? You're about the same size as him, something of yours should fit him.'

     'Fine,' he breathed and did everything he could to control his anger. He deliberately set his pen down carefully, pushed his chair out and tucked it back in, and took meticulous steps up the stairs. What was the use of lashing out? What was the use of getting annoyed or angry? And who was he angry at? Laura? Definitely not. He could never be mad at her. The kid? What was his name? Linus? Sure, whatever his name was. He hated him, regardless.

     Ruben checked the rooms and made sure neither cars were parked in the driveway before turning back to the basement. Without stepping down, he called down to her, 'They're gone,' before retreating to his bedroom. How repulsive; he had to share his clothes with the very thing he resented.

     Laura carefully coaxed Leslie into the bathroom in the basement, whispering all the while that she was going to take care of him. He looked like he'd been run through the mill a few times, and she felt sorry for him.

     'Just stand there for a moment, Leslie. I'm going to fill the tub up so we can get you cleaned up,' she cooed, running a hand down his arm. Leslie didn't say anything, just watched her as she leaned down to plug the drain and turn the taps on. Ruben walked into the bathroom, holding a set of clothes in his hands. They were his rattiest, oldest clothes that he would probably end up burning once Leslie was done with them. He didn't want that sort of filth to linger in his wardrobe. 'Here,' he set them down on the edge of the sink.

     Laura sat on the edge of the tub and tested the water with her fingertips.

     'Get him undressed. We're giving him a bath.'

     '... giving him a bath... giving him a bath... giving him a bath...'

     'Excuse me?' said Ruben.

     'What's wrong? Oh, for goodness sake. We're all adults here,' Laura huffed and stood up. She grabbed the hem of Leslie's shirt, gave it a tug and pulled it over his head. The sight before them shocked both into silence, and Leslie was left shivering both out of fear and the sudden cold.

     He was thinner than they originally thought - his ribs and hips stuck out from under his skin, and deep, purple bruised lined his milky white skin. Bright red welts lined his stomach, and what looked like lashes coated his back. Wherever this boy came from wasn't safe place to be, that much was certain.

     'You poor thing...' Laura swallowed hard, wanting to just wrap her arms around him and hold him close. Ruben, on the other hand, rolled his eyes and sat on the closed toilet seat.

     Leslie looked at the ground, hugging himself and digging his jagged fingernails into his skinny arms. He nearly coward when Laura reached over to slip his pants off. His legs didn't look any better, and there was dirt and what appeared to be blood caked onto his feet.

     'It's okay, Leslie... we're not going to hurt you,' she took his hand and tugged him closer to the tub. As he gingerly climbed in, she sat back down on the edge and waited for him to lower himself in the water.

     A silence overcame them, aside from the gentle trickle of water. Laura dampened a washcloth and began to wipe away the dirt and grime from Leslie's tired face. 'You look like you've never slept in your life,' she sighed, reaching for some soap. 'Turn around and I'll wash your back.'

     As she carefully cleaned Leslie's wounds, stopping when he hissed or flinched from the pain, Laura began to hum. A gentle tune, one from their childhood, and it filled Ruben with a cocktail of emotions and feelings. He couldn't take his eyes off her, but when she turned her head and met his gaze, he blushed once again and looked at the ground.

     'Do you remember when we were little, and you got really sick and it was my job to take care of you while our parents were at work? You probably don't, since you had a horrible fever, but I remember washing you like this. You were six, I think. I thought I was going to lose you, though. I was really scared, Ruben.'

     'No, I don't remember.' Why was she talking about this in front of the weird kid? It was none of his business.

     Laura turned to the sink and reached for the drinking cup before turning back to Leslie. 'I'm going to wash your hair, so don't be alarmed,' she warned, filling the cup up with water. She slowly poured it on top of his head and bit back a laugh when he nearly jumped out of the water in surprise. In her defence, she did warn him.

     Ruben watched her hands as she reached over and poured out some shampoo onto her fingers so he could wash Leslie's hair. He felt a little betrayed, a little heart broken that she was doing this with a complete stranger. It almost felt... lewd. Maybe because he only had her in his life, that having to share her with anybody made him feel possessive. He didn't like it in the slightest.

     'Okay, you're all clean. Jeez, you look like an entirely new person, Leslie,' Laura grinned and stood up. 'Ruben, do you mind bandaging him up when he's dry? I don't like the look of those cuts on his back, but you're the expert here.'

     The corner of Ruben's mouth twitch at the thought of touching Leslie. If Laura didn't ask him, he wouldn't even be in the same bathroom as him. He wanted to have nothing to do with Leslie.

     'Fine. But I get to sleep in your bed tonight,' he sniffed and left the bathroom to retrieve his medical supplies. He had an entire box of medical supplies - not to be confused with his box of "experiments" supplies. It was more or less a glorified first aid kit, but he had everything in there. Gauze, tape, scissors, gloves, sutures, needles (both for sewing and injection,) and more.

     'Sit him down somewhere so I can work,' Ruben said as he tugged on a pair of gloves. Laura grabbed a stool and parked Leslie down, turning him so his back was facing Ruben. He didn't need stitches, which was a shame because he had such a strong urge to scar him, but he did what Laura asked him to and began to clean and sterilize the wounds. 'These look like they're from a belt,' he said under his breath as he began to gauze and tape them up.

     Laura held Leslie's hands to keep him calm, rubbing the back of his knuckles with her thumbs. 'We'll have to keep him down here.'

     'We could always send him out,' Ruben said from the bathroom. He peeled the gloves off his fingers, tossed them in the garbage and washed his hands.

     'No! He... he has to stay here. We can't send him back to where he came from. Look at what they did to him. How would you feel if father beat you so severely that it left marks and you had the chance to run away? Would you want to go back?'

     'I'd go back for you.'

     Laura sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose with her fingers, 'He's staying. As long as we can hide him, he's staying. Now let's get him dressed before he gets a cold.'

     Ruben didn't say anything more as he grabbed his clothes. Even as he dressed Leslie, he didn't comment, scowl or protest. He remained stoic and silent, something that worried Laura.

     'I think we should spend the night down here tonight, just in case he needs us.'

     'I have work to do, so keep him away from me,' he said as he headed towards the door that led to his "laboratory."

     'I will. Don't worry. I'll set up a few cots down here for us.'

     '... down for us... down for us... down for us...'

     Ruben made a ticking noise in the back of his throat when Leslie spoke and shut the door behind him with a snap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to *attempt* to update this once or twice a week, but I really can't guarantee anything.


	3. Chapter 3

     'Leslie, please stop fidgeting and let me see!' Laura, toothbrush in hand, sighed exasperatedly.

     Leslie shook his head, trying to wiggle away from her, but she had the upper hand. Eventually, he submitted and she managed to squish his cheeks with her fingers, popping his mouth open. The sight before her made her feel queasy; all his teeth were rotten, and at least one had a chip missing from it.

     'What did they do to you? Did they completely ignore your needs?' she said sadly, setting the toothbrush down on the sink. Maybe she would have to contact the local dentist and get somebody to fix his teeth. With a little persuasion, she might be able to get one to make a house call.

     Leslie started rocking back and forth in his spot on the edge of the tub. His fingers dug into his arms, head bowed and his breathing quickened. Laura watched with pity, and carefully reached a hand out to place it upon his head. She caressed his brittle hair, smoothing it out over his forehead. The gentle touch, the warmth of her hand, slowed his breathing. He lifted his head, and when their eyes met, he offered a meek smile which Laura returned.

     'You know, you're a very handsome young man. It's a shame they did this to you,' she cooed, stroking his hair.

     '... they did this to you... they did this to you... hurt... _hurt_...'

     Laura opened her mouth to speak, but Ruben stepped into the bathroom. He looked tired; the first thing she noticed. His eyes were lidded and bags were threatening to form under them.

     'I need the shower,' he stated flatly.

     'You're covered in blood,' she said in a low voice, taking Leslie's hands to pull him to his feet.

     'Hence why I need the shower.'

     Laura watched him with a careful gaze before pulling Leslie out of the room. While she understood why he did it, she wasn't exactly proud of it. It made Ruben happy, though. He was learning things no school could teach him and figuring out things that he wouldn't be able to learn otherwise. His fascination with human anatomy, with the human psyche, with humans in general on an academic level was endearing. She often joked he could make it as a doctor, but he always brushed it aside.

     Ruben shut the door and twisted the taps to start the water. He stared at his reflection as nimble fingers unbuttoned his shirt. It was tainted red; large streaks that ran up his arms and chest, leaving sticky stains on his skin. The heat from the shower fogged up the mirror, distorting and blurring his image. He turned from it, unbuckling his belt and letting his pants and underwear pool at his feet before climbing into the tub. He made a mental note to dispose his clothes later.

     The water scalded his skin, leaving it red and raw. It hurt, but it was a good pain - it made him feel alive. He passed his hands over his face, his neck and chest as the water ran pink. It was ritual; work on his experiments and cleanse himself of the stench with unnecessarily hot water. It burned and engulfed him in a sense of false anxiety, but the moment he shut the water off and stepped out of the shower, his body was instantly met with a crispness that soothed him.

     He wrapped himself in a towel, fighting the urge to shiver from the sudden cold (it was always too cold in the basement,) and ventured to his room for a change of clothes. He ignored Laura on his way, determined to not look at her coddling Leslie like the child he was. By the time he returned, Leslie was curled up in a cot, blanket tugged up to his ears, and Laura was sitting on the couch, reading.

     Ruben watched her from the doorway, all ill feelings vanishing instantly. He followed her hand silently as it reached up and curled some of her dark hair behind her ear. Her eyes flicked back and forth on the yellowing paper, her long lashes fluttering each time. As she turned the page, she looked up and smiled before beckoning him over.

     He walked over and dropped on the couch next to her. She was so warm, even in the coolness of the basement. She set the book down on the arm of the couch and set her feet on the floor so he could curl up with his head in her lap. Her fingers brushed his hair out of his face.

     'Why do you hate Leslie?'

     Ruben didn't say anything, just squeezed his eyes shut. Out of everything, why did she ask that? Eventually, he shook his head.

     'You do. You wanted to leave him in the field,' she said, no hint of emotion in her voice.

     'He would have been fine,' he mumbled, rolling over and burying his face in her stomach.

     Laura continued to stroke his hair, humming once more. It was like a sedative for Ruben, instantly putting him at ease. He could lay like that forever; nestled in her lap with her hand in his hair. Every so often she would run her nails, as sharp as they were, against his scalp and it just felt so good.

     'Come on, you,' Laura said after a few moments of quiet comfort and head scratches. 'Let's get you to bed.'  
Ruben shook his head and curled up tighter against her. 'Please, Ruben? I have to wake up early tomorrow.'

     With a reluctant sigh, Ruben sat up. He gave her a rather dejected look, but it was quickly replaced by mild surprise when her hand found his chin. The pad of her thumb passed over the small mole in the center of his chin. He was very much aware of how hard his heart was beating and it took every ounce of strength he possessed to pull away from her warm fingers.

     'Good night, Laura,' Ruben said as he stood up and moved towards the cot furthest from Leslie. He could feel her eyes on him as he moved and it made the hairs on the back of his neck prickle.

     Laura remained silent as she moved about the basement, making sure everything was okay for the night. From the corner of his eye, he watched her stoop down to check up on Leslie before heading up the stairs and out of the basement. If she thought, even for a second, that he was going to be left alone with that freak...

     But she returned moments later, easing his tension. Ruben hastily climbed into his cot and tossed his covers over his shoulders as her light steps descended the stairs. She changed; he could see the soft creamy white nightgown she often wore in the summer hanging off her slim shoulders. With a gentle click, she turned the light off and climbed into her own cot, the one between his and Leslie's.

     Ruben laid there silently, listening to the gentle breathing coming from Leslie and Laura. The minutes dragged on, but all he could do was stare at the dark shadow that was his sister. He hungered to be close to her, and it fueled him to climb out of his cot and slip into hers. She sighed deep as they wiggled until they found a comfortable position; both laying on their sides with Ruben's head tucked under her chin. An arm coiled around his body, holding him close.

     'Go to sleep, Ruben,' her voice was lined with exhaustion.

     He smiled inwardly to himself, shutting his eyes. He could rest now - he got what he wanted. All he needed was to be close to her for sleep to come easily. Within minutes, he gave up consciousness for a deep, restful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Every time I write Ruben I think 'wow, he's a bit of a brat. that might be really ooc' but then I realize that he grew up to be a psychopath and we only catch like, one scene of him in a flash back (that isn't with Laura,) so we don't really have much to go by in way of his personality. I just figure he'd be like any other ten year old :v just with more influence to be a brat because his family is wealthy and he's in love with a girl that another boy wants (as far as he's concerned, at least, haha)


	4. Chapter 4

     When morning came around, Ruben's sleep was disturbed by a frantic pleading. He turned his head to the source of the noise, and realized it was Laura's voice. In a heartbeat, he was on his feet, bleary eyed but alert, only to be met with Laura trying to get Leslie to sit down.

     Leslie was pacing back and forth, taking sharp intakes of breath and tapping the sides of his head with his hands. Every now and then he'd let out a whimper, muttering something in haste under his breath. He stopped abruptly, and dropped down onto a crouch, but continued to beat his hands against his head.

     'What is wrong with him?' Ruben asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

     'I-I think he had a nightmare...' Laura's voice was quiet as she watched Leslie in horror.

     Ruben stepped closer to the other boy, 'Well, make him stop,' he snapped, but Leslie continued to stare.

     Leslie stopped trembling, in fact, he completely froze. Under his breath, he started muttering '... make him stop...' over and over as he slowly turned his head to look right at Ruben.

     Ruben stared back, mild disgust creeping into his face. He narrowed his eyes until they were slits and took another step closer. 'Stop looking at me right now.'

     'Ruben...' Laura reached her hand out to touch his arm, but he shrugged it off.

     'This is stupid,' he said and marched into his lab, slamming the door behind him.

     The entire time, Leslie watched with an unblinking stare.

     Laura felt defeated. She looked at Leslie and tried to smile, but it was weak and forced. 'You must be starving. Stay put while I go get you some food, okay?'

     Leslie didn't react - just continued to sit hunched over, staring at the door Ruben disappeared behind.

     Laura hurried up the stairs and into the kitchen. Just as she reached for some buns, her mother stepped into the kitchen and stopped her.

     'We're going out for breakfast soon, Laura. Why are you eating now?'

     Laura grabbed a few buns and set them on a plate. 'They're for Ruben. He's not feeling too well, so I'm bringing him something easy to eat,' she spoke as she pulled a cup down from the cupboard and filled it with water. It pained her how easy it was to lie to her mother. Spending so much time with Ruben held an affect on her.

     'Well, just be quick. We're leaving in a few minutes, and you're not even ready!'

     'I know, I know! I'm sorry. I stayed up late reading.'

     'Honestly,' the older woman sighed, and stepped out of the kitchen with a gentle click of her heels.

     Laura hurried back down the stairs and nearly gasped when she saw Leslie reaching for the door handle to Ruben's lab. She set the plate down on a step, rushed over and pulled him away gently. 'No, no, you can't go in there. Ruben hates it when people disturb him, Leslie,' she said, and guided him over to the couch.

     'Listen, I'm going to be away for a few hours, but Ruben's going to keep an eye on you. I brought bread down for you - the buns are really soft, so it should be safe with your teeth,' Laura spoke as she fetched the plate from the stairs and returned. She knelt in front of him and pulled off chunks of a bun. 'We get these from a local bakery. They're very good.'

     Leslie started rocking back and forth, blinking profusely.

     Laura held a piece of bread up to his lips and was surprised Leslie willingly opened his mouth. She let him eat it before offering up another piece. It was just like taking care of a little bird, she found, and the thought made her grin.

     Ruben stepped out of his lab, making sure to lock it on his way out. Laura looked up to say something to him, but he just sniffed and left the basement without a word. Whatever she had to say, especially if it was about Leslie, he didn't want to hear it. It ate him from the inside, but he just wished she never found the kid.

     Laura hurried after him, stopping him before he got too far. In a whisper, she pulled him to the side and said, 'Mother and father think you're unwell. Please, please, _please_ , Ruben, keep an eye on Leslie and don't do anything to him!'

     'What? Don't you trust me?' Ruben sneered.

     'It's not like that! I have to get ready to go. I'm already late as is,' she hissed. 'I promise I'll make it up to you,' she added before hurrying into her room. It took her no more than five minutes to change her clothes and find her parents, leaving Ruben standing in the kitchen.

     She was going to make it up to him? How? She was probably going to waste her time on Leslie again and ignore him. He let out a hiss of breath from annoyance and turned to retreat back to the basement, but was stopped by Leslie. They stared at each other for a long while before Ruben stepped forward. Leslie flinched, but didn't move.

     'You think you have her wrapped around your little finger, don't you?' Ruben's voice was dangerously low as he took another step. 'You think you can keep her all to yourself, don't you?' Another step closer and Leslie still didn't back down. 'Well you're wrong. She's not yours.' They were less than half a foot apart. Leslie was taller than Ruben by about two inches, but that didn't intimidate him. 'You better watch yourself, Leslie. If you hurt her, if you do anything weird to her, I'll kill you.'

     As Ruben made his leave, Leslie spoke up in a shaking voice, 'She's nice.'

     Ruben stopped dead in his tracks and sneered over his shoulder, 'Of course she is. She's nice to everybody. You're not special, freak.'

     Leslie returned to the basement as Ruben stalked off, fingers twisting and wringing each other. '... she's nice... she's nice... she's nice...' he whispered with each step.

     By the time Laura returned, it was nearing the evening. She helped put away groceries and the rest of the shopping, and snuck back down to the basement. There was nobody around, though - Leslie was gone and she assumed Ruben was in his lab. She stepped into the bathroom and was surprised to find Leslie curled up inside the bathtub, fast asleep.

     'Leslie, wake up,' she chimed and reached down to brush his hair out of his face. He shifted, and buried his face in his arms. 'This isn't a comfortable place to sleep. You'll be very sore in the morning.'

     Leslie turned his face in the direction of her voice and blinked his eyes open. He smiled meekly before sitting up. Laura helped him climb out of the tub and walked him towards a cot, where he instantly crawled in and went back to sleep. She tossed his covers over his shoulders and went to find her brother.

     Lately, Laura noticed Ruben had spending more and more time in his lab. Part of it was probably because of Leslie, but she wondered if there was something else. Every so often she saw tension building between him and their father, specifically when he was talking about the church.

     She made her way to the closed door of his lab and knocked on it, 'Ruben?'

     Ruben's heart skipped a beat when he heard her voice, but he didn't respond. He was too focused on peeling a superficial vein away from the skin of a pig haunch.

     Laura knocked again and turned the handle, 'Ruben, I'm coming in.'

     Ruben turned his head and looked back at her as she entered but didn't say anything.

     'How was your day?' she asked, taking careful steps over to his desk. She looked down at the mess of blood and flesh and sighed but didn't say anything else.

     'It was fine,' Ruben whispered as he went back to work. With his tweezers, he successfully freed the stubborn vein and peeled it away from the rest of the meat and laid it out carefully on the desk next to him.

     Laura didn't budge, just continued to watch Ruben. Her eyes roamed his features and how he looked so very much like their father; the sharpness of their chins and the way their noses were pointed but hooked ever so slightly. She reached hand out and ran it through his blond hair, letting it drag down the side of his neck before resting on his shoulder.

     Ruben was mad at her, but surrendered any anger the moment he felt her hand in his hair. Why? Why did his heart have to betray him like that? He could hold a grudge as long as she didn't show him any ounce of affection, but the moment she did, no matter how subtle it was, it went right out the window. He wasn't a fan of it, but he knew it was useless fighting it. He loved Laura too much to willingly stay mad.

     'I bought you something,' she cooed as she pulled something from the pocket of her dress.

     Ruben held his hand out for it. It was a long, thin box with a silver string holding it closed. He carefully tugged on one end, letting it fall loose and lifted the lid of the box. There was a black velvet fabric covering the contents inside, and when he pulled it back, his eyes widened. Inside was a sleek, silver scalpel; the dim light caught its pristine surface. Not even a fingerprint lay on the smooth metal.

     'This is...' Ruben couldn't find the words. He ran his finger along the velvet, not wanting to taint the metal's pure shine.

     'It's silver. I've been saving up to buy this for a while now. Do you like it?'

     Ruben didn't respond, at least not verbally. He carefully set the box down, stood up and wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. She returned his hug while stroking his hair.

     'I'll take that as a yes,' she whispered.

     'Thank you, Laura. I love it.'

     'I'm glad.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a feeling this fic isn't going to be super long - I'm working on chapter 6 right now and either in chapter 7 or 8 is when things start to go down. I'll put warnings up ahead of time because it's not going to be nice.


	5. Chapter 5

     The days crept by and Ruben was starting to find it was getting easier and easier to ignore Leslie. Sure, Laura was still taking care of him like a pathetic baby bird, but Ruben used the excuse for his experiments as a way to get away from the disgusting sight. It didn't help that he wanted to find anything he could get his hands on to use his new scalpel.

     He moved on from just pigs - sometimes he found dead foxes or coyotes that he tested his experiments on. The only issue he had was that there was a lot of fur, so whenever he had the opportunity to use a pig specimen, he took it. Pigs were so similar to humans that they were the ideal specimen, next to actual humans.

     Leslie, while he still didn't talk much, seemed more animated. He still panicked, he still had nightmares, and he still had his ticks, but he seemed more normal, in a way. Ruben wouldn't say he was bearable, but he was able to deal him better than before. He was sure Leslie took heed of his warning because every time Laura went to touch him, his fingers started twitching, almost as if he was afraid of getting caught touching her back.

     The entire time, their parents were none the wiser of what was happening right underneath their feet. Laura was so good at lying to them and so subtle about taking food that they didn't realize what was going on. Her excuse for spending a lot of time in the basement was to spend time with Ruben, who was always cooped up in his lab. It played out so well, that even Ruben was impressed. She also got away with a lot, being the older sister.

     She could get away with murder with their parents, and the the thought definitely crossed Ruben's mind. What would Laura look like covered in another person's blood? What would she look like, her breast heaving after furiously killing another person? What would she look like, coated in their blood as she pulled apart their flesh to examine their organs while Ruben overlooked?

     Ruben set his scalpel down and stared at the decapitated fox head. It's eyes were glossy but lifeless and a trickle of blood was dripping from its black snout into its reddish fur. It took him a moment, but once his pulse had slowed, Ruben went back to work with a shake of his head. Maybe after his experiments, a cold shower would be more beneficial than a hot one.

     'Ruben! Laura! Could you come up here for a minute?' their mother's voice called from somewhere in the kitchen.

     Laura called back and went to the lab. As she knocked and opened the door, she said, 'Did you hear? Mother wants us.'

     Ruben shrugged his shoulders while carefully cutting the snout open. Was the structure similar to a pig's? He would soon find out.

     'Oh, for goodness sake,' Laura sighed and stomped over to him. She grabbed him by the wrist, and just as he set his scalpel down, she dragged him from his seat and marched him up the stairs to the kitchen. He really didn't want to go - he had work to do.

     'As you two know, your father and I will be away for three days. He received an invitation to a gala held by the local hospital in the neighbouring town. Laura, you keep an eye on your brother. Ruben, don't give your sister a hard time. I know it's almost pointless to say, but I feel better saying it,' the entire time their mother spoke, she was breathlessly checking things over, making sure she had everything she needed. 'I'm sure you won't spend all your time in the basement, Ruben? Go out and get some fresh air! The weather has been lovely lately.'

     'Yes, mother,' Ruben mumbled.

     'Good. We best be off. Be safe, you two,' and Beatriz kissed both her children on their cheeks before meeting her husband in the foyer.

     'Bye, mother! Father! Have a safe trip!' Laura called to them before they left the house. They both waited in silence until they heard the front gate open and close with a creak. When she was sure they were gone, Laura turned to her brother and cocked her head to the side. 'Are you okay? Your face is a little red.'

     Ruben rubbed his cheeks. 'I'm fine,' he said before hurrying to the bathroom to take his long-needed cold shower. He had started thinking about Laura covered in blood again while pretending to listen to their mother. Not a good plan.

     After his shower, Ruben wandered the house. It was weird not having their parents there, he found. Sure, they left for the day every now and then, leaving them behind, but they weren't going to be back for a few days. They had free reign to do whatever they wanted, and it felt liberating. It also meant Leslie could be let out of the basement prison, and when he caught sight of his chalky skin, he turned tail and headed straight for the music room.

     His father thought it was best to hire a teacher for the children to learn how to play music. Ruben was taught how to play the piano, and at such a young age, he excelled, and Laura learned how to play the violin. The two spent hours together playing, and even now, when the urge arose, they would lose themselves in the music.

     Ruben stepped around the sleek black piano and carefully propped the top up before making his way to the front. He pulled the bench out, and as he sat he lifted the fall. His fingers glided delicately across the keys without playing a single note. He wasn't sure if he hated playing the piano or not, but it was just something he did to ease his mind in a way his research or Laura couldn't.

     It took him a minute to decide on a song to play before finding the right keys and striking down with deliberate force. The music coursed through the room like thunder. The strength of the notes embraced him as his body rocked with each rumbling note. He didn't need sheet music - he had everything memorized from many hours of practice.

     As he played, melding different melodies together, the mood shifted into something more gentle. Delicate, even. Ruben's fingers continued to glide effortlessly over the ivory keys and his mind was wandering everywhere that wasn't reality. He was so distant he didn't realize he had an audience for the last five minutes.

     Leslie had shuffled into the room, eyes never leaving Ruben's form. He found a spot to sit, near enough to the piano that he could feel the vibrations through the floor, but far enough if Ruben suddenly stood, he hopefully wouldn't find him right away. He leaned back, shut his eyes and drifted into his own mind.

     Ruben wasn't sure how long he was playing for, but when he came out of his stupor, he noticed Leslie sitting against the wall. The corner of his mouth twitched in both annoyance and amusement as he turned back to the piano. 'Who said you were allowed in here?' he asked, mostly to himself. He had a feeling he knew the answer. That, and he was sure the kid wouldn't answer him, even if he could.

     He went back to playing; another delicate song that drifted through the house. Every now and then, he would look to Leslie, wondering what he was even doing in this place. Where did he come from? Why was he bruised and so messed up? Ruben didn't understand. He wasn't from anywhere he could think of.

     'There you are!' Laura hurried into the room, breathless. 'I've been looking for him everywhere.'

     Ruben didn't look up, just continued to play, 'He waddled in here while I was playing and hasn't left. I just assumed you sent him here.'

     'No, I didn't but he seems to like your playing.'

     Ruben shrugged, 'I don't mind the audience.'

     'No, of course not.' He could hear the grin in her voice as she moved closer to sit on the bench next to him. She watched his fingers work the keys and felt a sense of pride for him; just a small part of her wished he would put his skills to good use - and not just his piano skills, but his desire to learn and figure out how anatomy works. When he got older, he could be anything he wanted, but he never showed interest. He just wanted to stay at home, learning on his own.

     The two of them sat in silence, listening raptly to Ruben's music. Every so often, Leslie would move about, or Laura would lean in and suggest songs, to which Ruben would reply by easing the current song into it. They played well until after noon, forgetting all their worries and apparently the need to eat until somebody's stomach had a small protest.

     Laura and Ruben looked at each other then to Leslie, who put his hand to his stomach and was fighting a slight blush that was creeping into his features.

     '... hungry...' he mumbled.

     'Oh! I guess I better make lunch,' Laura pushed herself away from the piano and moved to Leslie to help him stand before leading him out of the music room and to the kitchen. Ruben followed after, making sure to avoid looking at them as much as possible.

     Laura made them sandwiches with a small side salad. 'I think I'm going to take him to the barn and walk around the sunflower field to give him some fresh air. It must be tiring staying cooped up in a basement all the time. Do you want to come?'

     Leslie wasted no time digging into his food but took timid bites to ease some of the pain on his teeth. Ruben, however, was just picking at his food and didn't answer.

     'What's wrong?' Laura asked, 'Are you not hungry?'

     'No, not really,' Ruben set his fork down, keeping his gaze downcast. Laura leaned over and pressed the inside of her wrist against his forehead. Ruben shut his eyes, enjoying the warmth and scent of her skin. This felt nicer than anything, having her touch him like that. As she pulled her wrist away, she let her fingers brush against his cheek.

     'You have a bit of a fever. Why not go lay down?' she whispered, 'I'll bring you something to eat later.'

     Ruben nodded and excused himself from the table. Was he actually sick? He didn't feel sick - he just assumed he was tired. Maybe he over exerted himself playing the piano earlier. Maybe it was all those thoughts that kept popping up in his mind? Maybe it was how friendly Laura was with Leslie? He stopped walking, half way up the stairs, and stared ahead of him. It was probably a combination of everything, and it left him feeling drained.

     He didn't realize how tired he actually felt until he collapsed onto his bed, forgetting to change out of his clothes, and almost instantly falling asleep on the cool sheets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to start posting this once a week because I feel like it was getting a bit rushed?


	6. Chapter 6

_'W-Wait! Wait for me, please! Don't leave me behind!' His voice bounced off the walls of the long, dark hallway. No matter how much he ran he didn't feel like he was getting anywhere. Ruben stumbled, reaching a hand out in a vain attempt to grab onto something concrete, but things crumbled around him and he hit the ground. Soft laughter echoed around him, escalating and morphing. It was Laura's, he was so sure it was Laura's voice but there was somebody else's mixing in._

_Ruben looked up, staring right at Leslie and Laura holding hands. He could feel his blood boil at the sight. Laura was fawning over Leslie, giggling and caressing his cheek the same way she did with Ruben's._

_'Leslie's the better boy...' Laura purred. 'He makes a better brother than you.'_

_'... better brother... better brother...' Leslie chimed in._

_'He's not a monster like you,' she continued._

_Ruben struggled to his feet, trying to grasp something, anything but air, but to no avail. Laura let out a shrieking laugh, one he only ever heard when she was putting on a show to appease their parents - it was fake, full of lies easily masked by the sheer beauty of her voice._

_He scrambled to his feet and took a step forward when everything went black. No light, no movement, and the only sound was his heavy breathing._

_A spotlight shone brightly overtop him from some unknown source above. He squinted up at it and another shone behind him, revealing a severed pig's head; blood pooling from every orifice._

_In a slow, deep voice, it spoke; '... monster... demon... freak...'_

_Another spotlight a ways away, revealing the vox head. It, too, bled and it, too, spoke in a slow, deep voice; '... disgusting... cruel... malice...'_

_A third light, directly in the middle, revealed a third head. Leslie's. Leslie's voice was distorted, but Ruben could clearly understand what it was saying. '... better brother... better brother... better brother...' Over and over the words played out._

_Ruben stared at the three heads, panic rising up in his chest. There was another shrieking laugh, and when he whipped around, all he could see was a wave of red crashing down on Laura's laughing form._

_'Ruben...' her voice cooed, almost like a mother trying to ease her crying child. 'Ruubeen...'_

     '... Ruben...? ... Ruben...?'

     Ruben's eyes snapped open. For a moment, he had no clue where he was. Things were blurry and his mind was still foggy from his dream, but when everything started to set properly, he looked for the source of the voice.

     What he found was Leslie hunched at the side of his bed, his face half-hidden by the mattress. Suffice to say, it gave him a shock and he almost jumped a mile. With a grunt, he sat up and rubbed his eyes. 'Why do you keep following me?"

     Leslie started rocking back and forth, murmuring, 'Leslie is concerned.'

     'About what?' Ruben sighed.

     '... Ruben...'

     That was an unexpected answer. Ruben looked down at him, puzzled and unsure of what to say. Leslie was concerned about him? But why? Ruben hadn’t exactly been the nicest to him.

     Finally, he said, 'There's nothing wrong with me.'

     Leslie shook his head.

     'I think I should know what I'm feeling, thank you very much,' Ruben snapped and climbed off his bed. He moved to his armoire and as he pulled the doors open, he snorted a laugh. 'You're such weird person.'

     'Ruben is unwell.'

     'I'm not unwell!' Ruben spun around, nearly losing his balance. He caught himself, 'I'm just tired.'

     Leslie stood and padded over to Ruben, who had his hands out stretched to keep him at arm’s length. But Leslie did something that surprised Ruben further - he hugged him. His arms were wrapped tight around his smaller body and he hooked his chin over his shoulder, leaving Ruben shocked, confused and unable to speak.

     'I... will protect you,' Leslie whispered.

     Ruben felt his face grow hot. What was he going to do? Out of everything, this was the last thing he expected from the freak. He was so sure Leslie feared him, and maybe he still did, but he didn't think he would ever go so far as to hug him. He was concerned? About what? There was nothing wrong with him, and who did he think he was, assuming he wasn't feeling good? What did he know anyway?

     'G-Get off me!' A sense of pride welled up, and he shoved Leslie back with enough force to knock him down onto the ground. 'Don't touch me!'

     Leslie stared at him from his spot on the ground, eyes wide with both surprise and fear. He spluttered, but eventually managed to squeak out, '... upset...'

     'Of course I'm upset!' Ruben snapped.

     Leslie climbed onto all fours and crawled over to him. Ruben tried to back away, but stumbled and Leslie managed to grab him around the knees, toppling him over. He laid on him, resting his head on his chest, and held him still. Ruben, still fighting for his dignity, struggled against him, but eventually found he couldn't any longer. Leslie wasn't moving, no matter how much he fought against him. He was surprised he had so much strength in him.

     'You're so weird,' Ruben whispered, resting his hand on Leslie's back.

     The two laid there, silent aside from their gentle breathing. Ruben stared at the ceiling while Leslie shut his eyes. His ear was placed directly over his heart, enjoying the gentle rhythmic thumps.

     He didn't know why a flutter of peace passed over him, especially since the bane of his existence was currently laying on his chest. The very thing he worried over, the thing he was so scared that would take his dear Laura away, was currently using him as a pillow and it felt, in an odd way, comfortable. Not entirely comfortable - Leslie was mostly bones, even after having a few weeks of food in him, and their floors were stiff, but it was emotionally comfortable. It made him feel okay, just like how Laura did.

     Laura... her image drifted through his mind. A tiny voice deep within told him he could never have her. There were obstacles in the way - their parents, society, their age, their relations - but he wished. Oh how he hoped that none of it would matter and one day it would just be the two of them. Day in and day out, he chose to ignore that voice. Laura was his, and nothing would ever replace her.

     Ruben lifted his head and looked down at Leslie. He was curled up, arms tucked underneath him and legs resting in between Ruben's. His breathing was slow, his eyes were shut and he was... sleeping? How could he fall asleep so easily? What was he, a cat? Yet, Ruben didn't have the heart to be mean to him. He didn't really want to wake him, either, but his bladder was starting to ache.

     'Hey...' Ruben whispered, rubbing Leslie's shoulder blades. 'Wake up.'

     Nothing. Leslie was out like a light.

     'Leslie, I need to get up,' he pressed but froze when he heard a rustling at the door. Laura was standing there, an amused smile blossoming on her face, which escalated when he turned away, red as a beet.

     'I was wondering where he was hiding,' she mused.

     'Can't you control this thing?'

     'Oh, don't be like that. I know for a fact you were enjoying your time together. He definitely is.'

     'I wasn't enjoying this. He tackled me to the ground!'

     'I heard the thump downstairs,' Laura laughed and made her way over to them. 'Poor thing must be exhausted. We had such a busy morning.'

     'What were you doing?' Ruben asked with a grunt as he pushed Leslie off him.

     'Well, we were planning a picnic! The three of us, if you are up for it, are going to go down to the sunflower field and have a small lunch before hanging out in the barn.'

     'Wait, what time is it?'

     'It's nearly noon. You've been sleeping since yesterday. I noticed you were still wearing your day clothes so I changed you out of them, but I didn't bother you otherwise. Neither of us did.'

     Ruben swallowed a hard lump that formed in his throat at the thought that Laura had dressed him. It made him feel like a small, helpless child, but he pushed the thoughts away due to more pressing matters.

     Laura helped Leslie to his feet and led him to the door, 'We'll be in the kitchen finishing up if you're joining us. I got sunhats for us to wear!'

     Ruben looked down as they left. They spent the morning together, preparing a picnic with the chance that it would just be the two of them. He grit his teeth in annoyance and made his way into the bathroom.

     By the time he got down into the kitchen, Laura was clipping the wicker basket closed. Leslie was rocking back and forth by the back door, a large straw sunhat planted firmly on his head. He looked a little ridiculous with it on and since it was so large, it almost dwarfed him.

     Laura walked over and pressed another hat firmly on Ruben's head before slipping her own hat on. Now he felt as ridiculous as Leslie looked, which was really saying a lot. Why did they need to wear these silly things? The sunflowers were tall enough that they'd provide shade if they were sitting, so why the gigantic hats? He didn't bother voicing his opinion, because seeing Laura in such a good mood made it all worth it. That, and the sun hat really suited her.

     She wasted no time dragging the two boys out with her. On their way to the field, Laura told Leslie stories about the fields. Most of them were childhood stories, but a few were about the history of the lands. Leslie was either so interested he wasn't speaking, or bored out of his mind. Ruben sure was - he's heard it all before.

     'How's this?' Laura stopped them and held her arms out. There was nothing but sunflowers for miles. The barn was in the near distance, but the house was a tiny shape in back of the field. The day was once again a beautiful one - the sun was high, but it wasn't too hot and there were great, fluffy clouds low in the sky. Every so often they would pass in front of the sun, casting a cool shadow on the world.

     Ruben shrugged and stepped back as she laid out a blanket for them in a small breach in the sunflowers. She set the basket down to the side, and sat down in one corner with Leslie following suit. Laura reached up and tugged Ruben down next to her, who nearly landed in her lap. As the food was being laid out, Ruben got comfortable in his own corner while Leslie was rocking back and forth, looking from one to the other.

     'We made sandwiches,' Laura opened the container and set them in the center of the blanket. Ruben noticed which ones were made by Laura - they were proper and neat. Leslie's were... less so. 'And I made a salad. I cut up some strawberries and watermelon for us, and I also brought some dessert.' As she spoke, she set everything out; a large bowl of strawberries, slices of watermelon, a fresh garden salad, a jug of ice cold juice, and chocolate roll with tiny icing decorations. Everything looked amazing, even Leslie attempt at preparing food.

     Laura handed each of them a plate and they began to eat. She started telling Ruben about preparing the picnic with Leslie - about how he, somehow, managed to drop an entire carton of eggs on the floor, or when he accidentally poured water on the sandwiches they had already made and had to redo them.

     'That's a waste of food,' Ruben grumbled.

     'Oh, would you stop. It was funny!' Laura chided and poured them each a glass of juice.

     'Sure, because wasting food is a hilarious thing to do.'

     Laura sighed, and tapped the brim of his sunhat with her hand. 'You need to lighten up, Ruben. Enjoy not having mother and father around! Take a break from your research and have a bit of fun with us. It's beautiful outside, and you should feel well rested after sleeping for so long.'

     Ruben looked away, biting back any retort that popped up in his head.

     'Please?' she lowered her voice and placed her hand on his.

     This was cruelty. Laura knew that Ruben had a weakness for her gentle nature, and she used it to its fullest, whether she was consciously aware of it or not.

     Ruben heaved a deep sigh and flopped back into the sunflowers, so that only his legs remained on the picnic blanket. He heard a rustle, and when he lifted his head to see what it was, he noticed Leslie was doing the same as him.

     Laura let out a gentle laugh, 'It seems you have a follower, Ruben.'

     'Hmph,' was Ruben's response. He hated the idea of having a follower - it was just like the church. It didn't matter if it was a religious figure or not, it was all the same.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yooo okay so next chapter is when things start to go downhill. can't have something cheerful for long, can we? see you next week!


	7. Chapter 7

     Once lunch was over, they packed up and made their way into the barn. Ruben had so many fond memories of this place and he felt frustrated that they were being soiled by Leslie's presence. This was one of the few special places he went to with Laura, a place he could share with her with the sweetness from the sunflowers wafting about. He didn't even bother trying to hide his bitterness by that point.

     It was nice being in the cool shade of the barn after spending a few hours under the sun. Sure, the sunflowers provided some shade, and the hats did help (as much as he hated to admit it,) but it felt good to be indoors on such a hot day. Despite having a barn, there were no animals kept inside. There were remnants of rats and the occasional pigeon or owl, and sometimes even a stray dog or cat, but other than that, nothing inhabited the barn.

     Laura and Ruben spent many days playing in it; playing in the piles of hay, climbing on the wooden platforms and beams, lying together in the comfort and privacy of the barn as Laura told stories. Sometimes, they would gather a bunch of pillows and blankets and spend the night there and watch the stars through the cracks in the roof. Their parents always warned them to be careful - wild animals could show up, among other things. It didn't matter, though. Ruben always felt safe when Laura was with him.

     Laura set the picnic basket next to the barn doors and pulled off her hat. She shook her hair loose, letting it fall gracefully around her. With a clap of her hands, she strode into the center of the barn and inhaled deep. When she spun around to face the two boys, she started to laugh. 'Look at you two. You know, you look similar. You both wear the same expression.'

     Ruben was affronted - how dare she compare him to this... scum. He opened his mouth to speak, but snapped it shut. What was the use? No matter how much he protested or complained or argued, he was never going to win. That nightmare left him a bit shaken, even if he tried to forget it. Besides, it made Laura happy when the two were together and that was fine.

     Leslie pulled his hat off and set it gingerly next to Laura's before waddling over to her. She pulled him in close with an arm and stroked the back of his head with her long fingers. With her other hand, she beckoned Ruben over, but he remained where he was. He felt warm and clammy and his throat suddenly felt tight and parched. What happened in his dream couldn't possibly come true. Laura loved him, not the freak. He wouldn't stand for it, either; Leslie was going to need to learn his place.

     He pulled the hat off and reluctantly slipped into Laura's other arm, who pulled him in close and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. Without warning, she tightened her grip on them and threw herself backwards into a hay bale, bringing them down with her. Leslie let out a startled cry, and Ruben was too shocked to say anything. He went to sit up, but she kept him firmly down.

     'Are you okay?' Ruben eventually asked her, having given up trying to break free from her surprisingly strong grip.

     'Why wouldn't I be?' she asked, smiling and gazing up at the rafters.

     'You're acting weird.'

     'Says the one who's been grumpy for the past few weeks. I'm fine, Ruben. I'm just in a good mood.'

     'It suits you,' Ruben muttered as he nuzzled his cheek against her arm. 'I like seeing you smile.'

     She let out a light laugh and rubbed his back in slow, circular motions. 'Oh, Ruben. You're going to be the bane of every father's existence when you're older.'

     'What do you mean?'

     Laura didn't answer right away - she was picking a few bits of straw from Leslie's hair. 'Girls will go after you like a bee to a flower.'

     Ruben felt cold. 'I'm not interested in them as long as I have you.'

     'There'll be a time where you'll think otherwise.'

     'No, there won't!' It felt like his world was starting to crack at the edges. He wasn't ever going to lose her - he loved her too much.

     Laura once again didn't answer right away - she was shifting uncomfortably in her spot and eventually sat up and flipped her hair behind her shoulders. 'Can we not talk about this in front of Leslie?'

     'You brought it up!'

     'Only because you asked!' Laura snapped.

     '... stop...' Leslie's feeble voice cut in. He was watching them, tears welling in his wide, blue eyes. His eyes kept flicking between the two, brows furrowed in concern.

     Laura looked at him fondly, while Ruben glared at him in disgust. How dare he tell him what to do - this wasn't his place to speak. He turned away as she pulled Leslie in close to sooth him. Of course she would comfort him. Of course she would coddle him. He was a pathetic baby bird and Ruben was just nothing. His dream wasn't just a nightmare - it was the truth. Laura loved Leslie more and it felt like a million daggers stabbing his heart.

     Ruben pushed himself to his feet and brushed the straw off before stomping over to the ladder that led to the rafters. He could hear Laura's voice calling him back, but he wasn't listening. He wasn't falling for the bait any longer. She could have Leslie if he was the better brother. She could have him and go away with him and leave Ruben alone. Ruben didn't need her any more.

     Laura watched him from her spot, unsure of what to do. Something was really bothering him yet she felt helpless. 'You stay here,' she whispered to Leslie and stood up. She followed after Ruben up to the rafters and sat down next to him but when she moved to put her arm around his shoulders, he shoved her off. 'Ruben...'

     'Just... leave me alone...'

     'What in the world is wrong? You've been acting so strange lately. Is it something I did?' she pleaded.

     Could he tell her? Could he tell her he felt betrayed? That he felt neglected? That she obviously preferred Leslie over him? He wanted to, desperately, but couldn't find the words. Instead he tucked his knees to his chest and buried his face in his arms. He never realized this could happen to him - having somebody worm their way into his life and pull Laura away.

     Ruben just shook his head. 'Just go away, Laura. Please.'

     She watched him for nearly a minute before turning and descending the ladder, defeated. There was no use arguing over this - all she could do was let him be. She looked to Leslie, offered a weak smile and walked over to where they left their stuff. She made herself look busy to hide the tears pricking her eyes.

     'Is Ruben sick still?' Leslie asked, padding over to Laura.

     'No, Leslie. Ruben just doesn't want to talk to us right now,' Laura said in a low voice.

     'Laura is sad... I'm sad, too.'

     Laura looked at him before quickly turning back to the picnic basket. She wiped her eyes with her fingertips, stood up straight and gave him a watery smile. 'It's okay, Leslie. Things will be fine.'

     Leslie watched her carefully before turning and heading up to Ruben. He wanted to fix this - he wanted to make Laura and Ruben happy. He liked seeing Laura smile; it lit her face up and illuminated her features. He wanted to see Ruben smiling, too.

     Ruben's body tensed when he heard somebody ascending the ladder, and when he caught sight of Leslie, he glared.

     'What do you want?' Ruben snapped.

     'Ruben is sad...' Leslie mumbled, shifting his weight from foot to foot. 'Ruben is making Laura sad.'

     'Will you just stop with that?!' Ruben snarled, and scrambled up. 'You don't know anything! You're just a stupid kid who doesn't understand anything, so get out of my face and leave me alone already!'

     The barn went deathly silent. Ruben had never lashed out at somebody like that before, and not only did it terrify Laura and Leslie, it terrified him. He was shaking with anger and his breathing was ragged. He could feel Laura's eyes on him, and even without looking at her, he knew she was crying.

     Yet, Leslie continued to watch him. Whether he was too scared to move or he genuinely wanted to be close to Ruben, he wouldn't budge.

     Ruben couldn't take it anymore. This kid refused to listen to him, no matter how much he demanded or yelled. He had had enough, and decided to force Leslie away from him. He took a step forward, thrusting his hands out, effectively knocking Leslie backwards. He fell hard and fast, but landed with a crunch in a pile of hay.

     Laura screamed out and rushed over to Leslie, pulling him up and checking him over for any signs of injury. 'Leslie, are you okay?!' she turned him around, patting him down. Leslie was shaking from head to foot, eyes wider than ever. He couldn't form any semblance of sound as she pulled him into a tight embrace and stroked his hair.

     'I can't believe you did that, Ruben!' Laura cried up to him. 'You could have seriously hurt him! Thank goodness the hay was there. I am so disappointed in your behaviour!'

     Ruben stared down at her, no emotion showing on his face. He slowly blinked once, turned on his heel and walked to the small window near the roof - the light from the day casting a shadow on his features.

     'Aren't you going to apologize?!'

     No response. Ruben felt numb. It felt like a frigid knife penetrated the spot right between his rib cage and was slowly moving up and down; carving him from the inside and leaving a cold hollowness.

     Laura cradled Leslie in her arms and guided him out of the barn. She didn't know what was wrong with Ruben, but he was taking his aggressions out on Leslie and it went too far. She couldn't understand it - Leslie needed their help; he needed somebody to look after them, but Ruben was making it so difficult. Why couldn't they get along? Leslie didn't do anything wrong.

     Then the realization hit her. Ruben was jealous. Jealous of Leslie - jealous of how Laura was treating him. Since as long as she could remember, she spent all her time with Ruben, and now there was a new person in her life. It worried her - how would he fare when they were older? How would he react when she found somebody for her own and started a family? The thought terrified her, but she had more pressing matters at hand - getting Leslie home as soon as possible.

     Ruben sat down with his arms buried his his arms for what felt like hours. A soft pattering of feet made him lift his head, eyes red-rimmed from tears that were silently trickling down his cheeks. A mouse had wandered over to investigate him, its nose twitching with wonder. It tried to get away when his hand reached for it but he managed to seize it by the tail, dragging it closer until he could pick it up properly.

     'This isn't a good place for you to be, mouse,' Ruben grumbled.

     The mouse struggled against his fingers, desperate for freedom.

     'I wonder how hard it would be to dissect...' his voice trailed away when he heard voices near by. Must have been the farmers walking through their field. He never liked any of them - they were rude and gruff, but his father continued to pay them to work.

     The mouse bit down hard on his finger and managed to free itself and scurried off, leaving Ruben to suck the blood off his finger. He watched it dart through a hole in the rafters and disappear. Soon, another mouse followed, then another until a whole stream of mice were running through the tiny hole. His curiosity piqued as he stood up to look over the railing of the loft. There were probably hundreds of mice and rats scurrying out of the barn at top speed.

     He could smell something... It reminded him of the burning leaves in the fall or the occasional bonfire, but why was it here? Was it coming from the barn itself? Panic started to set in, and he hastily climbed down the ladder and hurried to the barn doors, only to find them locked. So many questions ran through his head at rapid pace - who did this? Why did they do it? How was he going to get out of here? Was he going to die?

     He never feared his mortality before - he knew all things came to an end, but he was just a kid. He had plenty of time so he never really thought about it. Death was absolute - he was familiar with this concept from all his experiments, but he never thought that his time would come so soon. He would never see his parents again. He would never see Laura again, or hear her laugh or even smell her perfume. It pained him to know that they were going to part on such icy terms. What if he died while she hated him for what he did to Leslie? That sense of urgency increased his desperation to get out. He didn't want to die knowing she was mad at him.

     'H-Hey!' Ruben called out and pounded on the wood with his fists. Smoke was starting to consume him, making his eyes water and throat close up. 'Help! Let me out of here! Anyone! Please!’

     The harder and harder he beat on the doors, the hotter the barn seemed to become. He stepped back from the door, frantically looking for another way out as he choked and sputtered on the smoke. A searing pain chased up his legs, overtaking and overwhelming his senses as the smoke continued to suffocate him. He tried patting his clothes out, but the fire persisted and ate away at him and the pain was unimaginable. He was growing frantic and fear was sinking into every fibre of his being as the fire continued to spread all over him.

     He could feel his skin blister and crack, tightening painfully as it charred. His clothes were melting to him and chunks of fabric and skin were flaking off. In one last final attempt, Ruben threw his entire weight into the door of the barn, praying it opened from sheer force. But the moment he made contact with the burning wood, an inevitable darkness took over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh my god??? this took me like, what, a month to do? i'm really sorry about that. i'd give you a huge explanation about how i was, i don't even know. saving somebody from their doom but really i was playing terraria for most of it, and working on some art in between being lazy and dying from this suffocating heat. (ha. ha.) but here! i'm not the happiest with this chapter, but i'm looking forward to getting to the next chapter and then the one after that. i'm not sure how long this fic will be. i don't think it'll be too long. I'm more or less aiming for 10 chapters but i don't want to say right now. at any rate, enjoy! 
> 
> oh! and thank you so, so, so, SO much for the support. it truly means a lot to me that you're enjoying this!

**Author's Note:**

> Woooah, my third fic and it's going to be filled with violence, torture and Ruben being a dick to Leslie. If anybody is too out of character, please let me know and I'll do my best to fix it! Also, if things change in the story, I will change the ratings/warnings/tags/etc. to fit accordingly.


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